I have made my thoughts known about the person that Trump wants as the Secretary of War…this Hegseth dude…..there are some in Congress that think like me that this slug is not qualified to oversee the nation’s largest budget and for that reason must not be confirmed.
It appears that Trump has stepped in and flexed his muscle to get his lackey through the confirmation process….
The most vocal opponent to his confirmation was Sen. Ernst but now that has changed….
A week ago, it seemed that Pete Hegseth’s chances of becoming the next defense secretary were doomed, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis floated as a possible replacement. Things look much different now, however, after what Punchbowl News describes as a “vibe shift” on Capitol Hill in favor of the nominee.
- Key senator: Hegseth met with GOP Sen. Joni Ernst on Monday, who had been voicing serious doubts. Afterward, however, Ernst signaled her support, describing the meeting as “encouraging” and praising his “responsiveness and respect” for the process, per Axios. Ernst has been seen as a “tough sell,” notes Punchbowl News, because Hegseth opposes women in combat roles (she served in Kuwait and Iraq) and has faced allegations of sexual assault (she is a survivor of sexual assault).
- Strategy: Ernst had faced a fierce public backlash from Trump allies who suggested she may not last in the Republican party if she opposes the president-elect’s pick. “The swarm of MAGA attacks” was “a warning of what’s in store for others who express skepticism of his personnel choices,” per a Politico analysis. Hegseth “became a cause” for Trump allies, one of them tells the outlet, and his success would bode well for other controversial nominees such as Kash Patel for the FBI and Tulsi Gabbard for national intelligence.
- Still close: Hegseth is still not a slam dunk to win approval. He meets this week with two other female GOP senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins. But the New York Times notes that even if they and Ernst end up voting against Hegseth, he would be confirmed if the rest of the GOP coalition holds. A wild card would be if the woman who accused Hegseth of a 2017 sexual assault came forward. Police investigated the allegations but did not bring charges.
- Hegseth’s campaign: The nominee appeared on Fox News Monday night and told Sean Hannity that the “left is trying to turn this into a trial in the media, a show trial” and that “we’re not going to let that happen.” He added: “I’m going to walk in the door of every one of these senators as an open book, willing to answer their questions because they deserve answers.” Trump himself and JD Vance also have voiced support for Hegseth in recent days, and Politico reports that Vance has been strategic in shifting sentiment in the Senate.
He will make it as the ‘king’ of budgets….and he will be one of the worse secretarys in recent history….
Show just how weak the GOP has become when one person can dictate their principles and at the same time screw the cfountry for the future.
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”
It’s a pure “mobster” move: threaten someone’s safety or their security if they choose not to “play ball” and lo and behold, she comes around, even though he is accused on the horrific crimes she suffered…shameful on all counts and just par for the course. Trump admitted over the weekend that, yes, his tariffs will raise prices for Americans…you supporters, just wait.
I do not understand the blase feelings of the American people….rough times approach and no one seems to care. chuq
If Trump had that much power his pick for attorney general would have made it through. Don’t see it.
I hope you are right…..but we will see how the hearings go…..chuq
A crazy choice from a soon to be crazy president.
As the old saying goes, ‘the lunatics have taken over the asylum’.
Best wishes, Pete.
More like the ‘worthless’ are taking over….very few of these picks are qualified other than being an ass kisser. chuq
Have any suggestions for the post________________
somebody with that kind of power doesn’t seem to be weak to my way of thinking.
So now you think the Trump[ will be a stellar leader….I am disappointed. chuq
Actually I have no idea of what kind of Leader Trump will be– so far all I have to go on is what other people are saying …and we did get through his first term more or less unscathed– it is not Trump that bothers me, it is some of the talk I have been hearing about Project 2025 that gives me pause, but I don’t even know how that is going to work out because I believe there will be a lot of confusion about how to administer it…we are on uncharted ground here and we are going to have to wait and see….stellar leader? I don’t know—anybody who can amass the kind of fortune he has amassed and who has withstood all the negative actions about him and against him and still come out on top has to have something going for him.
I love the optimism…refreshing. chuq
Uncertainty is always the father of fear. I think people might be over-reacting to their own interpretations of events …
So just sit back and roll over and play dead for 4 years is that the answer? chuq